Bring Him Home
by mychakk
Summary: Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU.
1. Coming Home

**Title: Bring Him Home  
****Characters/Pairings: **canon couples  
**Genre: **Drama/Romance  
**Warnings: AU  
****Episode: post 4x26: The End in the Beginning  
****Rating: **T  
**Chapters: 1/4  
****Status: **complete

**Disclaimer****: **I don't own Bones nor the characters. Just playing with them.

**Summary: **Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU.

**AN** _This fanfic was again inspired by the wonderful _**FaithinBones** _and her series _Hannah Stories. _This time the inspiration came from chapter 41.I'd like to thank all those who reviewed _Crack My Back_, those reviews gave me the push and patience to write down this story. _

_A shout out to _**bluemuriel**_ whose story_ Reckless _helped me with some aspects of this plotline. _

_Enjoy!_

**Xxx**

**Part One: Coming Home**

**xxx**

Angela promised she's going to pick her up from the airport. Brennan smiled at this. She could always count on her friend to be there for her. Her smile fell as she tried to squash the twinge of pain at the thought that Booth would not come to pick her up. He probably didn't even know she's coming home today. It was a spontaneous decision she made two day ago. She could always count on Booth being there for her, but she hadn't heard from him since she had gone to Guatemala two months ago.

Not that she could blame him much.

Once everything about Booth's health post-the- tumor-surgery had been cleared up, she decided to go on a dig, the one she had been invited to a few weeks before the whole mess. The doctors assured her that Booth's recovery was going according to the plan, that he was healing as good as he could in these circumstances, so there was no real reason for her to stay.

And… she needed to get away. Badly. It was too much. That one week when Booth went into the surgery, ended up in coma and woke up confused… it was too much. And on top of that, for the first time ever, she allowed herself to _indulge _into her imagination. For the first time it was not Kathy and Andy she imagined.

And she loved every part of it.

The force of her feelings scared her.

And then Booth confused her with _Bren_, the one she told him about while was typing her story. The one that was _with_ him, loving him freely, being loved by him exceptionally, his _wife_.

The one she was _not_ in the real life.

It was too much for her to bear.

Because… it was not meant to be. They were not meant to be. And she could not deal with it all.

And just like she erased the story from her drive, she needed to erase the idea of _them_ from both her and Booth's mind. She was not that woman. She could never be. And she could never have what that woman had.

She could never change.

She needed time. And space. From all of it.

And so she had gone to the dig.

She had a good time in Guatemala, even if she didn't found anything special back there in South America. Angela kept her posted on everything that was going on at home but she wasn't very forthcoming about Booth's progress. And Brennan was too much of a coward to ask her herself.

She could not bring herself to write him.

And he has never written to her either.

She sighed and closed her buckle as the plane was prepared to land. There was no point on dwelling on the past, what was done, was done. Now was the time to disembark from the plane and get her luggage and then meet Angela.

Thirty minutes later with no best friend in sight, Brennan got worried. Fishing her phone from her messenger bag, she checked it and, seeing no calls from Angela, dialed the familiar number.

"Hi, Angela, where are you?" she asked when Angela picked up after the third ring.

"I'm still in the city there has been an accident and I'm stuck in the traffic." Her best friend sounded apologetic and a bit annoyed.

"Oh, then maybe I should get a cab." Brennan said, ignoring the twinge of disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie." Angela's voice was sincere.

"It's alright, accidents happen. You were not hurt, were you?" she asked, suddenly worried.

"No, no. I just got stuck in here." Angela sighed. "I wanted to pick you up. I have a friend I wanted to meet you." She told her, whiningly.

"Oh, what friend?" Brennan asked warily. Some friends of Angela were very …unique.

"Her name is Avalon, and she's… well, she's talented." Angela finished lamely.

"Talented? What's her expertise?" Brennan asked, curious.

"Ah, she's a psychic." Angela admitted reluctantly.

"Angela…"

"She's pretty good and you will like her, I promise." Her best friends added convincingly.

"I don't know." Brennan didn't want to hurt her best friend. But a _psychic_? It's worst than Sweets' psychology mumbo-jumbo.

"Just meet her, nothing else. Please?"

She knew she wouldn't be able to say no to that pleading tone of her best friend. "Oh, ok, as soon as I'm settled, we'll meet her."

"Thanks, Sweetie." Brennan could hear the happy triumph in Angela's voice. It made her smile a little.

"Oh, it looks like we might be moving." Angela perked up.

"Good." Bren smiled.

"You will wait for me?" Angela asked, distractedly.

"No, it'll be quicker if I take the cab, and you should turn from the traffic as soon as you can." Brennan said, already looking for the closest exit.

"Alright. So I guess I'll see you in the lab?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, I plan to go there immediately." She said with a smile.

"Sure, see ya then, Sweetie."

"Bye, Angela."

She disconnected the call and gathered her belongings. She marched outside the airport where cabs were available. She finally caught one and got inside.

"Where to, Ma'am?" the cab driver asked her with a smile.

"To…" she was just about to say _the Jeffersonian_, when something stopped her. A flash of twinkling brown eyes appeared in her mind and she smiled. "To the J. Edgar Hoover building, please."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She might as well pay Booth a surprise visit.

Xxx

She was well known at the FBI building now, since she has been working with Booth for the past four years already. She smiled at the security guard as he allowed her to enter and nodded to the few agents that passed her while she waited for the elevator to take her to Booth's office. She smiled at the jingling sound the lift made when it stopped finally at the correct floor and walked out with a little spring to her step.

She pulled her suitcase behind her, eyes focused on the familiar office door. She was about to open her mouth, but stopped, gawking at the sight before her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Dr. Brennan!" Agent Perotta's blond head shot up from the paperwork she's been working on, a surprised but sincere smile on her face.

"Where is Booth?" Brennan asked, her thoughts whirling.

"He's… not here." Agent Perotta replied uncertainly, her eyes flickering around the room.

"I can see that, what are you doing in his office?" Brennan asked her, a bit harshly, but she was confused and wanted answers. Now.

"I work here." Agent Perotta replied, unfazed.

"But it's Booth office!" Brennan protested, indignantly.

"Not right now." Perotta smiled apologetically at the Doctor.

"What do you mean?!" _This was not happening… it was not… What was going on? Where was Booth? He was supposed to be here… He-_

"I'm working here since he got transferred." Perotta replied now a bit confused.

"What?" the raspy surprised reply barely made its way across the room to Perotta's ears.

"You didn't know?" The blond woman looked at her with surprise. "I thought you guys were partners."

"I just got from a dig in Guatemala." Brennan pointed to her suitcase.

"Oh, well, he was transferred a month ago." Perotta supplied the information.

"A… month… ago…" Brennan mouthed, disbelievingly. Why no one has told her? Why _Booth _hasn't told her? No… No!

She turned abruptly, and started walking away swiftly.

"Dr. Brennan!"

But she ignored Agent Perotta's call.

He was transferred. He was _transferred_. No. No. This was not happening. It was not! He couldn't be- and-

She needed answers. And she knew where she would find them.

**Xxx**

**End of Part One**

**Xxx**

**AN** _Reviews make me smile. ;) I'd gladly hear_ _what you think about this. _

_Next: Brennan looks for some answers. Stay tuned!_


	2. A Broken Home

**Title: Bring Him Home  
****Characters/Pairings:** canon couples  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Warnings: **AU-ish.  
**Episode: post 4x26: The End in the Beginning  
****Rating: **T  
**Chapters:** 1/4  
**Status:** complete

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones nor the characters. Just playing with them.

**Summary:** Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU-ish.

**AN**_ Thank you to all that has reviewed and alerted this story! I'm a bit nervous about posting the rest now… people seem to have high expectation from this, but it's really a story exploring hidden emotions and possible reactions during a certain situation. Hope you'll like it anyway!_

_Now onto the second part. Enjoy!_

**Xxx**

**Part Two: Broken Home**

**xxx**

"Why was I not informed Booth got transferred?"

The suddenness of the question made Camille Saroyan jump slightly. And she was not one that got easily surprised. Or intimidated. But the sharpness in the icy tone it was asked didn't really bode well for the next few minutes.

Ever since she started working at the Jeffersonian she learned a lot about herself, her own reactions and the surprising and unpredictable things that could happen around her at her working place. She tried to be prepared for every possible scenario and take in stride everything that happened around her. Still, she couldn't help jumping at the sudden, harshly asked question. She turned quickly putting a not really a fake smile on her face.

"And hello to you too, Dr. Brennan." She said, feeling now genuinely happy to see her colleague, it was two months since she saw her last. But her smile faltered rather quickly at the sight before her.

"Dr. Saroyan." The Anthropologist nodded at her, her eyes were two piercing blue jewels of ice as she stared at her Boss. It was clear her patience was fading out rapidly as she stared at Cam expectantly. "Well?" she asked sharply.

"What?" Cam blinked.

"Why was I not informed that Booth got transferred?" Dr. Brennan asked, impatiently, her arms crossing over her heaving chest.

"I thought Seeley told you." Cam replied surprised. Brennan did not know this? How come?

"I haven't heard from Booth since I went to Guatemala." The Anthropologist replied briskly, but Cam saw the flickering of her eyes to the side for a second.

"I see." She nodded at her colleague, trying to gather her thoughts. This was a disaster in the making and she needed to tread carefully now. You could never know what the outcome of a confrontation with Dr. Brennan would be.

"I don't." Brennan told her. "Why was he transferred? That doesn't make sense. And I'm not going to work with any other FBI Agent." She finished with resolution, looking up at her with her jaw set. Oh, _boy_. Cam winced inwardly.

"It's not for you to decide, Dr. Brennan." she reminded her gently. "We work with whoever is the FBI Liaison to the Jeffersonian. And-"

But this only seemed to make Dr. Brennan angry. "I work with the best, and Booth is the best. I won't work with anyone else." She repeated, impatiently.

Cam sighed. "You have worked already with Agent Perotta, Dr. Brennan." She tried to reason.

"It was only temporary, because Booth was incapacitated at the time. I don't plan on working permanently with anyone else." She stood firmly challenging the woman in front of her. They stared at each other for a few moments until Brennan asked. "Where was Booth transferred?"

"To Quantico." Cam replied.

"To Quantico?" Brennan uncrossed her arms, surprised. "What he's doing there?"

"I think lectures and some rookie training." Cam shrugged, uncertainly. "He wasn't very forthcoming with the information when we spoke."

Brennan frowned. "Booth's talents are wasted there." With this Cam could agree, still-

"It was not his decision to make. You know that, Dr. Brennan." Cam reminded her and was about to say more, but Brennan interrupted her again.

"I won't be returning to work anytime soon." She said, her voice final.

"But, Dr. Brennan-"

"I'm not going to work with anyone else than Booth!" She said fiercely. "If I have to I'll take a sabbatical!"

"What?" This took her by surprise. Her eyebrows shot up.

"I need to get Booth." It was said with such simplicity… as if there was no other option to follow in a situation like this. If Cam wasn't so taken aback by this new development she would have smiled.

Instead she sighed inwardly and tried to reason with the bull-headed scientist. "He was transferred to Quantico. It's not hard to get him. He still lives at his old apartment." She opened her mouth to add more but was met with a fierce icy look.

"I'm not working with the FBI unless I work with Booth." The defiance in Brennan's voice was unmistakable. With her arms crossed and chin up, all was needed was for her to stomp her foot. Childishly.

But Cam did not take well childish displays. "The Jeffersonian is a Government affiliated Institute. We work with the FBI and we don't have much to discuss about it." She reminded her, now getting a little bit annoyed.

"Then I will sever my contract with the FBI." Brennan said, hotly.

"It's a part of this job, you can't do that." Really! She can't have anyone, not even the illustrious Forensic Anthropologist, picking up the job's descriptions according to their whims.

"Then consider this my two week notice." Brennan shot back and turned away, pulling her suitcase behind her.

Cam's jaw dropped. But- but-

"Dr. Brennan, Dr. Brennan!" Cam called after her colleague but the woman was already out of the lab, gone beyond the glassed door.

"Oh, Man." Dr. Hodgins said from behind her. Cam turned toward him. From the look on his face it was clear he had heard the argument between them. Cam sighed.

"What's going on?" Angela came from the bathroom on the other side. She just got to the lab hoping to meet Brennan here.

"Dr. B. just gave her two week notice." Hodgins told the Artist, looking askance at her, crossing his arms on hid chest.

"What?!" Angela shrieked and looked frantically from Hodgins to Cam. "Why didn't you stop her?"

"I tried but she ran off pretty fast." Cam interrupted pointing toward the door. This was just not _happening_.

"Yeah, she just screamed about two weeks notice and was out of here before we could even blink." Hodgins added.

"Why would she do that?" Angela asked them, desperately.

"She won't work with the FBI unless she's partnered with Booth." Cam sighed, massaging her head. She could feel the migraine starting.

"Oh." Angela bit her lip, her shoulders slumping. "I guess she has heard about the transfer then."

"Your guess is correct." Cam nodded.

"Figures nothing good ever stays that way for long… I guess my internship here is terminated then?" Fisher asked from his position behind them.

They glared at him. He stilled then closed his mouth and turned away quickly, properly chastised.

"Did anyone tell her the transfer is temporary?" Angela asked the people around her and was met with silence. "Great." She sighed again.

Cam's shoulders slumped. This was not good. Not good at all.

xxx

Brennan walked briskly up the stairs to her apartment. She had taken a cab to get her home from Jeffersonian, glowering at anyone that dared to look in her direction. She opened her apartment with angry, jerky moves and closed the door with a bang. She left the suitcase near the kitchen and took off her jacket tossing it with the keys on her sofa.

If they didn't want to help her bring Booth back, then she didn't need them. She never did. She managed on her own for long and she will manage now just fine. She marched angrily to her bedroom and threw some clean clothes to wear, she's going to take a shower, change her clothes and drive immediately to Quantico.

It's time to bring Booth home.

**Xxx**

**End of part two**

**Xxx**

**AN 2**_ To those who my wonder why Brennan went to the Lab for answers, please remember it's after season four, she didn't know Hacker yet and Sweets was still an incovinient annoyance to her. But Lab has always provided her with answers and Cam's her boss. _

_Hope you liked this part, next time: We meet Booth! Stay tuned, and please review! :)_


	3. Interlude: A&A

**Title: Bring Him Home  
****Characters/Pairings:** canon couples  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Warnings: **AU-ish.  
**Episode: post 4x26: The End in the Beginning  
****Rating: **T  
**Chapters:** 3/5

**Status:** complete

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones nor the characters. Just playing with them.

**Summary:** Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU-ish.

**AN**_ First, thank you to all that has reviewed and alerted this story. :) I'm glad you enjoy the story :)_

_Second, I have to apologize. I promised you Booth this time, but my muse, poked by _**bluemuriel**_'s review, decided to add this interlude instead. I had fun writing this, hope you'll like it as well. _

_Now onto the chapter. Enjoy!_

**xxx**

**Interlude: To Counsel Hope and Patience **

**xxx**

"Avalon! Avalon! Thank goodness you're here!" Angela ran up to the marvel table, where her friend sat serenely.

"Hello, Angela. You need guidance." Avalon smiled mysteriously looking at the frantic woman before her.

"You have no idea! It's a disaster! You remember the friend I told you about?" Angela started agitatedly.

Avalon nodded. "The one we were supposed to meet today. The one I _need_ to meet today." She added under her nose.

"Yes, her." Angela said then threw her hands up. "She- she just quit her job, and didn't let anyone explain what's going on." She started pacing in front of the table. "And she might do something stupid, you know? Because she doesn't have all the facts; and now she ignores my phone calls and she was not home and you have to help me!" she stopped staring desperately at her psychic friend.

"Sit down, Angela." Avalon pointed to the stool in front of her. "Let's see what the cards are telling us today." She shuffled the deck a few times.

Angela nodded, took a deep breath and sat down in front of her quirky friend.

"Now, you do know what to do, right?" Avalon asked, still shuffling the cards.

Angela nodded. "Focus on the issue."

"And all I'm going to give you is counsel, not specific instructions that will show you what to do."

"I know, just tell me." Angela said, impatiently.

"Cut the deck." Avalon showed her the cards, and Angela reached forward and put half of them on the table.

Turning over the first card, Avalon nodded. "Temperance."

"That's her!" Angela waved her hand at the card. "That's her name, you literally begin with her name."

"Yes, I see. And this one _is_ about her. Did she go to meditate and to look at her deeper personal issues?"

"I don't know." Angela moaned. "Maybe. I still am a bit mad at her for leaving Booth like that. He was barely out from surgery and still all confused. But she left to Guatemala as if something was chasing her. Maybe she did need time to think? She always runs away…" she grumbled.

"I see." Avalon nodded and continued. "Before she can really have peace and wisdom, she needs to have peace with herself. Look at what makes her feel guilty, at mistakes that she feels she's made in the past. Then let them go."

Angela bit her lip, but didn't say anything. Avalon picked another card and put it on the other side of the table, so that it was facing the Temperance one.

"Knight of Pentacles. That's him. Was he spiritually overwhelmed recently?"

"Hell, I say! He" Angela pointed at the card, "was in coma and dreamed of a totally different life with her." She pointed to the Temperance card.

Avalon nodded. "True love is a willingness to work together to get through any rough spots and to work on the relationship. He might be for a surprise soon."

Angela leaned forward, excitedly. "Really? What's next?"

"Three of Wands." Angela laughed mystifyingly, putting it at the base between the cards. "Quite interesting for the basis of their relationship."

"What does it mean?"

"Partnership."

Angela laughed. "Really?"

"Yes. They have always been equals, not afraid to make their complains and positions clear."

"You have no idea." Angela shook her head, a disbelieving smile on her face.

"They have worked hard, they have reached their maturity, and now their efforts are seen, appreciated, and are well respected." Avalon continued.

"That's true. They are the best crime solving team! What does it mean for them?" Angela asked.

"First we need to see what stands between them." Avalon flipped another card and paused.

"What is it?" Angela asked anxiously.

"The Moon." Avalon said putting the card between the Temperance and Knight of Pentacles. "It's another Major Arcana card."

"It means it's huge, right?" Angela leaned, anxiously toward Avalon, staring at the card itself.

"Things may seem somewhat confusing to them now." Avalon said. "They may find it hard to understand where they are coming from, much less what the other is thinking and feeling. They shouldn't make any assumptions. And they need to talk it through."

"If it was that easy! Brennan assumed Booth left permanently and she is probably on her way to give him a piece of her mind about it all! They are going to fight!" Angela groaned. "Oh, this is such a mess!"

"I'm only here to give you what counsel I can from the great beyond. Counsel, as in advice, not predictions of fake fairytale endings and untrue promises of what won't ever happen." Avalon said, Angela only nodded. "There is one more card to go." She flipped the last one card, putting it above the space between the Temperance and Knight of Pentacles.

"Oh." She said, studying the card.

"What is it?" Angela asked anxiously.

"It's reversed. And it's the first card reversed in this spread." Avalon said as if it meant everything.

"What does it mean?" Angela asked, tentatively.

"This card is Ace of Cubs and usually it's a very positive card for love, happiness and life in general." Avalon started.

"That's good, right?"

"It's reversed. And this means, they still need to look at themselves, first. See if they truly dealt with everything necessary to allow them to live their life with an open heart." Avalon replied apologetically.

"So what does it mean? That they are not ready? And if one of them- if _Bren_ now does something _stupid_, then everything's going to fall apart?" Angela asked, alarmed.

"There are some obstacles before them. Yes. But in the end," Avalon paused and looked Angela in the eyes. "with time and attention, they can resolve most blockages."

"Oh."

"Angela." Avalon said, waiting for the other woman to look her in the eyes.

"Yeah?"

"May I counsel patience on this front? Hope and patience. And faith in them."

Angela looked at the small mysterious smile on Avalon's face and nodded, a smile blooming slowly on her face as well. That she can do.

**Xxx**

**End of part three**

**Xxx**

**AN **_I actually did some research for this chapter, so the stuff here might be pretty accurate, depending on the reliability of the websites I found. Sorry, if it's off._

_Points to those, who spot a quote from The Show and recognize whose it is originally. :)_

_Next time: We meet Booth (this time for sure)! Stay tuned, and please review! :)_


	4. Home Is Where Your Heart Is

**Title: Bring Him Home  
****Characters/Pairings:** canon couples  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Warnings: **AU-ish.  
**Episode: post 4x26: The End in the Beginning  
****Rating: **T  
**Chapters:** 4/5  
**Status:** complete

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones nor the characters. Just playing with them.

**Summary:** Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU-ish.

**AN**_ First, thank you to all that has reviewed and alerted this story. :) I'm glad you enjoy the story :) Congrats to those who has recognized Gordon Gordon's quote in the previous chapter._

_Hope you'll enjoy the one too!_

**Xxx**

**Part Three: Home Is Where Your Heart Is**

**xxx**

The drive to Quantico was uneventful. It took Brennan a while to make the distance of the forty miles from DC to the FBI Academy but she was determined and focused. And her mind swirled with the possibilities why the Bureau would transfer one of its' best agents in this area to _teach_ the rookie agents.

Booth and her were the best crime solving team in DC if not in the whole country. They _had_ the biggest crime solving rating, after all. Why would they dissolve their partnership? It didn't make sense. Was it something she did? Was it because she went to Guatemala? Was she a bad partner because she left Booth while he was still recovering? But the doctors said he was doing alright… there was no point in staying… But what if Booth wasn't alright? What if something happened and she was not there? Or maybe _Booth_ didn't want to work with her anymore? Did he blame her for leaving? Did he think she was not a good partner? Did… did _he_ ask for the transfer?

Her hands tightened on the steering wheel as she forced herself to stop this nonsense speculation. Until she found him, there was no reason to doubt herself _and_ their partnership. She will find out the truth and she'll proceed from there.

Of course, there won't be any other option but Booth coming home with her in the end.

Finally, she stopped her car in the parking lot of the FBI Academy. She got out and marched to the nearest building looking for someone who would help her find the one man she came here for. But it was not as easy as she had thought it would be. She was eyed suspiciously by the security guards and treated skeptically by the receptionist while she asked for some help. Finally someone recognized her.

"Tempe!"

A familiar voice called her and she turned quickly.

"Sully!" He was not someone she thought she would see here. But was she glad she did!

"Hey!" he came to her and gave her a hug, one she accepted gladly. He would help her, she knew. They separated and she took a look at him. He looked good and she smiled involuntarily.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"I'm looking for Booth." She said, the smile falling from her lips.

"Booth?" Sully frowned.

"Yeah."

"What is he doing here?" he asked puzzled.

"I… I don't know. I haven't seen him for the past two months. I just got from a dig in Guatemala and learned he's got transferred." She told Sully and felt a twinge of discomfort at admitting this. Maybe she should have written to Booth after all while she had been away.

"To Quantico?" Sully asked surprised.

"That's what Cam told me." Brennan nodded.

"Why would they transfer him here?" he asked, frowning.

"I don't know. But I need to find him. Can you help me?" She looked at him pleadingly.

Sully stared at her for a moment, his eyes searching hers, then he smiled knowingly. "Let me check this out." He walked to the receptionist, talked with her for a minute, smiled a bit and returned to her.

"Booth should be at the shooting range now, the marksmanship training." He said with a smile.

"Thank you! How can I get there?" Brennan asked.

"How about I take you?" Sully smiled at her.

"Ok, thanks." She returned his smile and turned toward the doors. He stepped beside her and together they left.

"I didn't know Booth gives lectures at Quantico." Sully commented once they were outside.

Brennan flushed. "I… well, Cam said he wasn't very forthcoming with his new job. What about you? Are you here to give lectures too?" she inquired changing the subject quickly.

"Me? No. I needed to take a few recertification tests before I get reinstated at Florida Office."

"So you return to the Bureau?" she asked him, smiling.

"Yeah, I got settled now." He smiled at her. It was then she noticed the golden band on his hand.

"Oh! Congratulations." She said, her smile widening.

"Huh?" He looked at her and she pointed to his hand. "Oh, thanks." He smiled. "Here we are. And it looks like the lessons are over."

But Brennan didn't really heard what he said. Heck, she didn't even know he was still there. Right now all she could see was the tall figure of her partner, instructing some young agents. Their training session was over, but a young little woman asked for his assistance. Brennan wanted to run up to him and throw her arms around his neck, but suddenly felt glued to her spot.

"That's good, Miss Shaw, keep your arm steady and keep both of your eyes open." She could hear him lecturing the woman and see the woman's apt attention at his every word. Then the woman aimed, and fired. It was a perfect shot.

"I think you get the gist." Booth smiled at the small woman next to him, bringing a dark blush to her face.

"Thank you Agent Booth." The woman replied, a note of pure admiration in her voice.

"You're welcome. Keep your good work and we'll see each other in the DC Office pretty soon." He smiled once more, and Brennan saw the young woman flush again at the compliment and the smile Booth sent her way.

She couldn't really blame the girl, for her heart was fluttering ever since she got here. The young woman started cleaning up, and Booth said his goodbyes. He turned and it was then that their eyes locked.

"Bones!" he called, a bright grin blooming on his face, and even from here she could see his eyes lightening up.

She sucked in a breath, suddenly, overwhelmed.

_Home is where your heart is, Temperance._ Her mother told her once.

She never really understood what she had meant back then.

Until this moment.

She took a step back. Shook her head once.

What if he _did_ request for the transfer?

She could not bear the thought.

So she run.

**Xxx**

**End of Part Three**

**Xxx**

**AN **_And now I'm going to hide… update will be soon, I promise. _

_Next time: Booth confronts Brennan and Brennan confronts Booth. Stay tuned, and please review! :)_


	5. Finding Home

**Title: Bring Him Home  
****Characters/Pairings:** canon couples  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance  
**Warnings: **AU-ish.  
**Episode: post 4x26: The End in the Beginning  
****Rating: **T  
**Chapters:** 5/5  
**Status:** complete

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bones nor the characters. Just playing with them.

**Summary:** Post 4x26. Brennan returns from Guatemala anticipating that Booth has been already reinstated and waiting to solve crimes with her. What she didn't anticipate was for him to be transferred out of DC. Now what she's going to do? AU-ish.

**AN**_ First, thank you to all that has reviewed and alerted this story. :) I'm glad you enjoy it so much :) Here is the conclusion, hope you'll enjoy it as well!_

**xxx**

**Part Four: Finding Home**

**xxx**

Brennan didn't run far away. She wasn't slow _per se_, she was actually quite fit and agile. But she never went through The Rangers training followed by The FBI one. So Booth caught up with her pretty fast.

"Bones! Bones!" he called, as he grabbed her arm, turning her toward him. She could not look back. Hot tears fell from her eyes. Suddenly she wanted to be back in Guatemala, looking at the Aztecs' burial sites she had been examining. She longed to feel calm and collected. Detached.

"Oh, Bones…" Booth moaned at her softly, and without any other word he enveloped her in his warm embrace.

She took a sharp breath and his musky smell mixed with the clean soap and his aftershave assaulted her senses. The feeling of his strong arms around her as well as the worried look she glimpsed in his eyes, were her undoing. Her eyes filled with tears while her arms went around his waist on their own. Clinging to him desperately, she buried her face in his shoulder. A shudder mixed with sob went through her and she felt him startle, then his arms tightened slightly.

"Bones? What's wrong?" he asked worried, trying to pry her away gently, but she clutched at him more desperately. He sighed. "Sh, sh, I'm here, I've got you. I've got you, baby." She heard him murmur as he stroked her back soothingly.

Deep in her mind she knew she was making a scene but even if she tried, she could not have calmed her appallingly emotional response. She inhaled his smell and tried to exhale slowly, hoping it will sooth her nerves. Finally, she loosened her embrace enough to take a peek at his face.

"Um, hi." She said, whipping her eyes with her hand.

"What's going on?" he asked her, his face marred with lines of worry.

"I…" she was lost for words, feeling suddenly embarrassed. She looked away from him, untangling herself completely free.

"Bones." He said, his voice more demanding now. "Come on. What's going on?"

"They told me you got transferred." Her voice was small as she said this, till not looking back at him. "That you're no longer working with me, that you're not anymore the FBI Liaison to the Jeffersonian." Her head shot up abruptly. "And I saw Agent Perotta in your office. At your desk working. And you were not there. And- and-" She hyperventilated suddenly.

"Bones." Booth said firmly. She focused on him. "Did you just get back from Guatemala?" he asked her.

"Yeah." She said.

"Why didn't you call?" he frowned for a second, then smiled gently. "I'd come and pick you up."

She stared at him frozen. "I just thought about it two days ago. And I didn't have time to inform anyone except Angela." She said finally and saw something dark flash in his eyes.

"I see." He said, his eyes flickering from hers.

"I don't." she frowned. "I come back only to hear you are transferred. No one has told me earlier you had got transferred. Why would they transfer you?" she asked desperately. "Why didn't _you_ tell me you got transferred? You _didn't_ write to me." She accused suddenly, hot anger shimmering under the surface, as her eyes blazed at him.

"I _did_ write you. I sent you an email about the transfer." He told her firmly, while again something akin to …pain? flashed in his eyes. "It was _you_ who hadn't written to me at all."

"I-I…" she didn't know how to answer him, so she focused on the other fact he just told her. "But I didn't get anything. I didn't get any email from you."

"You didn't?" he stopped in surprise. "But I thought you did and just didn't…" he trialed unsure, as his eyes flashed once more, then he looked away.

He didn't need to finish the sentence, she got the meaning.

"…that I didn't want to answer." She whispered.

"No. No!" he interrupted her quickly, his eyes shooting back to hers. "Didn't have time to do so." He said, and smiled at her.

"I _was_ busy doing my work." She nodded with a small smile, and a little bit of smugness. "But I guess I should have written to you too. I'm sorry." She looked down.

"Hey. It's alright." He told her and she looked back at him. "I know your digs are important to you." She smiled again and he returned it. Their eyes locked together as they stared at each other in silence, each one taking in everything about the other one. Finally, Booth cleared his throat, fidgeting a little.

"So… what are you doing here?" he asked her, successfully reminding her of the past few exhausting hours.

"I had to find you." She told him simply. He cocked an eyebrow at her curiously, so she elaborated. "I had to know what was going on. Why you were transferred. I needed to talk to you." She told him. "I'm not working with FBI if you are not my partner." She finished firmly.

A wide smile spread across his face.

"But you know the Jeffersonian works with the FBI because it's the Government funded Institute." He said with a slight teasing tone in his voice.

"Then I'm going to withdraw my contract with the FBI." She said seriously. His smile dropped.

"Bones. I'm coming back in a couple of weeks." He told her, now as serious as she was.

"What?" she whispered stunned.

"The transfer was only temporary. Didn't anyone tell you?" he asked her puzzled.

"No." she paused thinking over everything she had learned this afternoon. She didn't really listen to anyone after she'd heard Booth was transferred. All that mattered was to get him home. She felt foolish suddenly for not getting all her facts straight. She has never behaved so irrationally like she did this evening. She flushed, embarrassed. "I didn't know. Why is it only temporary?"

"They needed a marksmanship trainer since the old one had a heart attack a month ago. I'm technically not reinstated for the field work yet, but since you were still in Guatemala, Hacker thought I could fill in the post till the courses here end. I passed my marksmanship recertification and was sent here to do the job." He shrugged, explaining.

"Oh" she looked down. Now she felt even more foolish. He was here because she went to Guatemala. _And_ because he was waiting for her return. He didn't throw their partnership away, he did what he was asked to do, and then he was coming back. It was just temporary.

Only she has given her two weeks notice. "Crap." She said, before she could stop herself.

"What?" Booth asked her surprised.

"Nothing." She quickly denied, but could not look up at him.

"Come on, Bones, tell me." He nudged her softly. She shook her head, and he lifted her chin with his hand. Their eyes locked. There was a long pause as they debated silently.

Finally Brennan admitted reluctantly. "I might have given Cam my two weeks notice."

"What?" Booth looked shocked. "Why would you do that?" he asked disbelievingly.

"She told me I had to work with other FBI agents while employed at the Jeffersonian." Brennan explained. "And I don't want to work with anyone else."

Booth looked deeply touched, his face softening into a gentle smile, his eyes twinkling at her.

"Bones… you love it at the Jeffersonian." He told her, softly.

"I…" she could not look back at him. They were silent for a few heavy seconds.

"Don't worry." Booth patted her shoulder suddenly and she looked up at him surprised. He sent her a smile. "I'm sure Cam will hire you again."

"You think so?" she smiled the lopsided smile at him.

"Yeah I do." He nodded, "You are the best, after all."

"That I am." She nodded, flushing pleasantly.

He grinned at her and threw his arm over her shoulders. "Now come on I'd like to eat something. All the shooting around here makes me starving."

She rolled her eyes at him, but the smile on her face widened. "You are always starving."

"Hey, I need to eat, and you do too." He pocked her in the ribs.

She squirmed but stayed under his arm. "I didn't have dinner yet." She admitted.

"So what would you like? Thai?" He looked back at her with a grin on her face.

"Thai sounds good." She nodded and her stomach growled in anticipation. Booth laughed.

"Come on, Growling Princess, before you scare all the rookie agents around here." He teased her.

"Hey!" she called indignantly. "I don't have any royal blood in me that I know it wasn't that loud! Plus it is a natural occurrence for the fluids and muscles of an empty stomach…"

And while they walked, bickering happily, they realized something has changed. Neither of them said anything about it but both of them felt it. And he looked at her more softly and she clung to him more firmly with her arm around his waist. Two bright smiles on their faces met the twinkling in their eyes.

They were already in the parking lot when Brennan spoke again solemnly.

"I wouldn't work with anyone else, Booth, you know that, right?" She looked at him with his big blue eyes, pleading.

"I do, Bones. I do." He locked his eyes with hers. "And you know I wouldn't have left you, right?"

"I do now." She nodded. "You've never left me."

"And I never will." He squeezed her shoulders.

"You don't know that." She protested.

"I know I'll do everything in my power to never leave you." He told her solemnly.

She looked at him. Their eyes locked, while words passed between them without being spoken aloud.

And in that moment they knew. No matter what the future might bring at them, as long as they were together, they were at home.

**Xxx**

**End **

**Xxx**

**AN **_So here it is. I've never planned to write more than this, as this story has always been about exploring Brennan's reaction in this particular situation. Also I don't want to do a re-write of season five, but I do believe the Hoover conversation will have a VERY different outcome in this universe than it did in the canon. ;)_

_Every review is gladly appreciated! _

_I might have another AU story for you in the near future :) So stay tuned! ;)_


End file.
